A former Lehigh student was arrested in New York on Wednesday after making threats to current Lehigh students.
Muhammad Diop, 20, has been charged in Bethlehem with harrasment and terroristic threats with the intent to terrorize another, according to court records.
Bethlehem Police Captain Nicholas Lechman said Diop made threats to a group of four victims. Diop allegedly threatened to come to the location of the victims and kill them. Police say Diop made specific references to shooting people in phone and video calls that took place while the victims were in the presence of police officers.
On Monday night, Diop posted videos on Instagram stories threatening Lehigh students and referencing Lehigh HawkWatch alerts that were sent out to the campus community regarding his initial threats.
The Lehigh campus community was made aware of the investigation into the threats on Monday morning when LUPD sent out a campus-wide memo which included photos of Diop.
LUPD said the department was working with the Bethlehem Police Department, the New York Police Department, the U.S. Marshals and the FBI on the investigation in the same memo.
Diop’s location at this time was unknown, though Bethlehem Police previously located him in New York City, according to the HawkWatch alert.
From the time of the first correspondence until Wednesday morning, when LUPD announced Diop was in custody in New York, campus buildings were only accessible with an ID swipe.
Diop is now awaiting a preliminary hearing in Northampton County, according to court records.
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